Oil burner



Dec, 9, .1924.

E. L. WALKER OIL BURNER Filed Nov. G, 125 2 Sheets-Sheet' Dec, 9, 1924. 1,518,947

. E. l.. WALKER OIL BURNER Filed Nov. 6, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gnou/LT o1,

Patented @en 9, i924.

del.

EDWARD L. WALKER, 0F *WEST BARBINGTON, RHODE ISLND, SSG-NGR TG S it K BURNER CORPORATO', OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE XSLAND, A CGRPORATON 0F RHODE ISLAND.

OIL BURNER.

Application filed November 6, 1923. Serial No. 673,179.

T0 all whom t may concern Be it known that l, EDWARD L. WALKER, a citizen of the United West Barrington, in the county of Bristol and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oil Burners, of which the following is a specitication. l

This invention relates to improvements in oil burning apparatus of the type more particularly adapted to be applied to heaters orV furnaces for buildings, such as steam generators, hot-water heaters and the like; and the object of this invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement of such apparatus in which liquid fuel is conducted to the burner or lirepot located Within the heater, and a cooperating steamgenerating member located adjacent the firepot for generating steam which is injected into the flame for the purpose of aiding combustion.

A further object of the invention is-the provision of means for superheating the steam before injecting it into the flame.

A. still further object of the invention is to provide means for supplying water to the steam generator, to maintain a predetermined level therein.

The invention further consists in the provision of an annular, inturned flange or lip for arresting the discharge of .unconsumed particles of combustible material and preventing them from being driven out of the firepot b force of the flame, before being consume With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section illustrating my improved construction of liquid-fuel burner.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the burner showin the steam-generating member as mounte upon the repot, and this member as being supplied with water from a float-controlled feed tank.

Figure 3 is a top view of the firepot with the draft flue and the steam-generating ring removed.

Figure 4c is a perspective view of the steam-generating ring member partly broken away.

States, residing at Figure 5 is a side elevation illustrating another form of steam generator as mounted on the center line of the tirepot on a plane `above the same, and an annular casing or wall in. section mounted on the upper edge of the firepot and having an inturned flange for arresting the unconsumed combustible particles from being driven out with the flame.

Figure 6 is a top view of the lirepot with the steam ring mounted thereon.

Figure 7 is a modification illustrating means for injecting steam into the center of the firepot from beneath the same.

.It is found in the practical operation of oil burners of this character, of advantage to inject steam into the flame for the purpose of aiding combustion whereih three functions are performed: first, the steam stimulates the draft of air through the burner and draft iues thus creating a hotter blaze: second, the steam after having been superheated by passing through the coils and then upon coming in contact with the hot flame causes the oxygen in the steam to be liberated and mix with 'the flame: and third, it is found by injecting steam into a burner of this character that the carbon is removed thus keeping the burner and the Walls of the vfurnace clean thereby obtaining greater heating efficiency.

It is also found of advantage to provide a burner of unit construction which includes a {'irepot, draft flue, and a steam-generating member all adapted to be positioned as a complete unit without being obliged to dopend on steam from an extraneous source. Also, it is yfound desirable to provide means for automatically maintaining a predetermined water level in the generating member as when the burner is in operation a constant supply of water is required, the quantity used being in proportion to that of the fuel burned, that is, the hotter the fire the greater the quantity of steam is generated and consumed.

It is also found in the practical operation of a device of this character that by providing an inturned flange abovel the plane of the firepot, the unconsumed combustible particles are arrested and prevented from being driven out of the firepot by force of the llame; and the followin is a detailed description of means by whic these advantaUeous results may be accomplished ith reference to the drawings,

10 designates a water heater which maybe employed in a dwelling house or buildmg that shown being originally constructed to burn coal, coke or other similar fuel, and to wlnch my liquid-fuel heating device may be readily applied.

In the construction of this improved burner I preferably form a firepot 11 substantially in bowl-shape, the same havlng a flange 12 resting upon a supporting frame 13. The bowl is provided on its opposite sides with triangularly-shaped, verticallydisposed air passageways 14 which communicate with openings 15 through the bottom of the frame or casing 13. On the upper edges of the walls of these openings 14, I have supported an air-draft flue 16, the ends 17 of which communicate with the openings 14, and the center of this flue is provided with an opening 18 which directs the inflowing air downwardly onto the coneshaped burner 19 located in the center of the bowl and into which the oil flows by aI suitable feed pipe 30.

In applying` this burner to the heater the same is passed in through the furnace door 20 and is supported on a'grate 21 in the middle of the furnace, the surrounding grate being closed by asbestos, ashes or other suitable means to stop the air draft therethrough.

A water-receiving chamber 22 is provided, preferably in ring form and positioned on the flange 12 of the firepot, which chamber is provided on its upper edge with an annular, inturned flange 23. This chamber is adapted to hold a certain quantity of water with which it is supplied through a1 pipe 24 Ifrom the supply tank 25, the level of the water in the generator being preferably controlled by a float 35 in the tank 25, which controls the inflow of water into the tank through the valve 36.

The heat from the firepot naturally heats the walls of the steam generator and the steam so generated therein passes upwardly through the superheating tubes 26 and coils 27. The steam after being superheated in these coils, passes downwardly through pipe 28 into the draft flue 16 where it is directed against the downwardly-curved walls 29 to pass downwardly into and mix with the flame of the repot. From here the mass of combustible material is forced upwardly alon the curved walls of the bowl, against the inturned flange 23, which ange serves to direct the flame first inwardly towards the center to obtain a more complete combustion of the combustible particles and then the Haine is caused to spread outwardly again past the superheated coils 27 against the side walls of the furnace to heat the water therein.

Oil is supplied to the burner through feed pipe 30 from a supply tank 31, and an automatic shut-oil' valve 32 is inserted linto the feed pipe line which is operated and closed if unconsumed liquid fuel should accumulate in the firepot, which fuel iscaused to run back through pipe 33 into the valveoperating bucket 34:.

By the use of my improved steam gen.

erating member in connection with the fuel heater, the burner is rendered much more efficient by creating an additional draft of air into the burner; and by keeping the burner clear of carbon deposit.

In some instances, where the steam ring is too large to be inserted into the firepotI of the furnace, I employ a' steam generating chamber 37 as shown in Figure 5, and support the same on the center line thereof, and the steam from this chamber is conducted through pipes 38 to mix with the flame in the manner above described.

In still other cases instead of directing the steam into the draft flue 16, I conduct it through pipes 39 up through the bottom of the bowl to mix with the fuel near the point of ignition.

I have shownand described the steam generator asworking in conjunction with a firepotof the bowl t e, supplied with a gravity fuel feed, but t is generator may be employed to operate with an oil burner of any desired construction.

I claim:

1. In an oil burner for a furnace, a Ibowlshaped firepot, means for supplying liquid fuel to the pot, an annular steam-generating chamber having an inner diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the lire pot supported about the upper edge thereof to be heated by the flames emerging therefrom, and a pipe for conducting steam from said chamber to mix with the flame from the combustion of the fuel.

2. In an oil burner for a furnace, a firepot, means for supplying liquid fuel thereto, an annular steam-'generating chamber supported and positioned to have its interior wall acted upon by the flame from said pot, means for conducting steam from said generator into the flame, and an inwardly-extending annular flange projecting from said generating ring and positioned above the lirepot for arresting the discharge of unconsumed combustible particles in the flame.

3. In a furnace, an oil burner including a firepot, a draft flue for directing a draft of air downwardly into said pot to force and spread the flame therefrom, a steam generating ring located about the upper edge of the firepot, a pipe through which steam is led from said ring and injected into said air ue to mix with the air therein before entering to support combustion, said steam also serving to increase the draft into the I'irepot.f

4. In an oil burner, a combustion champrovided with a coil at a point intermediate ber, means for supplying liquid fuel thereto,' said member and its discharge end to be di- 10 an annular steam generating member lorectly acted upon by the heat of the ame cated adjacent said chamber, means for supfor superheating the steam in its passage 5 plying and maintaining water at a constant from said generator to said chamber.

predetermined level therein, a tube leading In testimony whereof I aiix my signafrom said member into said chamber for ture.

Conducting steam thereinto, said tube being EDWARD L. WALKER. 

